Cannot access old TimeMachine backups

Hi there,
I'm new to this forum, and have been using a MacBook Pro for several years so am comfortable with the OS but not an expert. Hence my question that I am about to post to this forum in the hope that someone can steer me in the right direction please.
My wife and I both use MBPs; 7 months ago we bought a NAS and started using TimeMachine for the first time. The backups have been running all this time, and we have both been able to access our own backups without any issues at all. Recently my wife's machine crashed and it needed to be repaired, this included formatting the C: to remove all the old junk that was on there and allow her to start with a fresh new OS install.
I wasn't worried about recovering her data because we had TM running and was hoping to recover certain files from there. I tried to use the Option Key and click on 'Browse other backup disks' and it shows her old backup on our NAS, however when I select it then it takes me straight to the current drive of the computer I'm on (in the Star Wars view) - not the backup as expected. I have tried this from her MBP and also from mine with the same results - it always seem to go to Star Wars for the current machine.
I'm wondering if the problem was that both of the Time Machines MBPs used the same NAS user account to access the NAS folder to make the backups? Should I have used different user accounts?
Basically, I have her sparsebundle file on my NAS and I really need to access it however I cannot find a way. Can you please help me with this? Hours of Googling has revealed that everyone else used the Option Key 'Browse other backup disks' method however as I have described that doesn't seem to be working for me.
We are both on Mavericks (since we started with Time Machine) and have not upgraded to Yosemite yet (if that is any useful info).
I would be really grateful if you could offer some help with this please.
Cheers,
Adrian.

chucma
you craft a question as if an old hand... I have asked our Gracious Hosts to move your question - likely to MBPro, but possibly Mavericks or TimeMachine.
A good trick to get the question posted in the right place is to navigate to the forum first. The SiteWare seems more comfortable with offering the forum you are in in the that final step.
this may be helpful in seeking the forum you really want - SITEMAP | Apple Support Communities - this is a VERY special creation of our friend turingtest2. I make use of these as browser bookmarks:
You may find these links to your own content useful, the first three will highlight threads with new activity:
Authored Discussions
Participated Discussions
Following Discussions
Recently Viewed Discussions
best regards
ÇÇÇ

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mor69 wrote:
I really appreciate you guys taking your time trying to help here!!
On the sparsebundles: I can see them no problem in the finder when opening the time capsule - but they simply arent accessed by time machine
trying to repair the bundle right this minute - but I think my problem is not a corrupted file - but time machine not recognizing the file as back-up
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Cannot access old time machine backups

Hi,
I recently had some issues regarding my MacBook Pro and decided the best course of action would be to ensure it was completely backed up; reinstall OS X Yosemite and pick the old backup for useful files.
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Are you on Mavericks now??
Did the problem start when you upgraded to Mavericks?? If so you are one amongst many.
Mavericks does something terrible to the old backups. If you can get access to them is unknown.
Firstly mount the sparsebundle and do a verify via disk utility.
See A5 here. http://pondini.org/TM/Troubleshooting.html
Try some of the solutions in the E section.. eg E2-E4
I hope you do realise if you deleted the file from the computer.. then TM will delete it from the backup.. not immediately but eventually it will. TM is not a good way to keep history of backups.. It is a current snapshot.
It sounds like you have tried correctly to open the sparsebundle in finder and locate the file.. This is worth while continuing but you just have to persevere .. open many dates around when you know the file was there. If it is gone.. well sorry it is gone.
TM is not particularly reliable now since Mavericks. you haven't told me you are on Mavericks but the issues smell like that.

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Can't access old TM backups.

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Not really sure what your #E3 post means, but I'll assume I can not access these old backups while using my new hard drive.
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Can't restore form old timemachine backup.backupdb folder please help?

Hi All,
I'm new here hope you all can help me please?
here's my story I used to have an Powerbook G4 -17inch model. I sold it and backed up the data using time machine. however I think I did a terrible mistake coping the PowerBook backup folder to external hard drive (Western Digital)without using superduper or other clone timemachine backup solutions.
I thought everything were smoothly copying the backup file to the external HD. Now after 1 and half bought my second Apple Laptop (Macbook unibody White 13.3) last night was trying to restore my old data (powerbook g4) data using - MAC OS X 10.6 INSTALLER DVD/ restore from time machine/ however the menu box doesn't recognize my external hard drive??? maybe I did something wrong?
I hook up the external hard drive to my macbook and lunch one the partition drive (2 partition on my external HD)and went to the backup folder and my old directory along with the files/ back up dates show up there, but can't view it...please help I'm trying to recover my data.. ...
Thank you so much!

RaulJ wrote:
Hi All,
I'm new here hope you all can help me please?
here's my story I used to have an Powerbook G4 -17inch model. I sold it and backed up the data using time machine. however I think I did a terrible mistake coping the PowerBook backup folder to external hard drive (Western Digital)without using superduper or other clone timemachine backup solutions.
That's a bit odd -- when you did the backups, where did you have Time Machine put them (before you copied them to the external drive)?
But you're right -- most likely, the backups were not copied properly.
I thought everything were smoothly copying the backup file to the external HD. Now after 1 and half bought my second Apple Laptop (Macbook unibody White 13.3) last night was trying to restore my old data (powerbook g4) data using - MAC OS X 10.6 INSTALLER DVD/ restore from time machine/ however the menu box doesn't recognize my external hard drive??? maybe I did something wrong?
You can't do a full system restore in this case anyway; that only works on the same or virtually identical Mac.
I hook up the external hard drive to my macbook and lunch one the partition drive (2 partition on my external HD)and went to the backup folder and my old directory along with the files/ back up dates show up there, but can't view it...please help I'm trying to recover my data.. ...
Have you already started using the new Mac? If so, connect the TM drive and right-click the Time Machine icon in the Dock and select the +*Browse Other Time Machine Disks+* option. If that shows the backups in the +Choose Time Machine Disk to Browse+ window, then your backups are recognized. If so, you have a few options, depending on whether you want to transfer all your apps, settings, users and data.
But most likely, they won't be recognized as Time Machine backups. You may be able to recover some things, but it's going to be difficult.
Post back with the results and your desires, and we'll go further.

Cannot access old TimeMachine backups

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